Paul's Corner

It seems a little self satisfying to put a post up bragging about getting older but I know that there will be one or two people who will want to send me a birthday wish. So now you can.

43 today - struth!! I give thanks to the universe. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had, for the magnificent journey I am on and for the wonderful people I have met along the way. I am indeed a lucky man with three beautiful daughters and a wonerful(and beautiful) wife! I will be getting lots of kisses today!

I have just finished my first year of the seventh seven years of my life. They say that the seventh seven is the most important period. It has so far been a very good year with some very important opportunities coming along and baring fruit. I am looking forward to the next year and indeed the next six as I know I will bring to fruition some long held dreams!

Thats how many times I kissed my wife the other day - give or take a kiss or two. Usually and at the very least I will kiss her twice a day - a good morning kiss and a goodnight kiss. Then there is the thanks for the coffee kiss, the two ships passing in the kitchen kiss and the see you later kiss. Occassionaly there is the you dont kiss me enough non kiss and the two ships passing so far away from each other that there is no chance for a kiss for days.

So for some reason I decided to have a kiss at all opportunities day and that is exactly what I did. Not big passionate long kissing on the beach with waves lapping at our feet type of stuff. Just a peck on the lips luv ya kinda kiss - at every opportunity and then some. And it was nice! Made her laugh, made her feel special and made me feel good and I think made us both feel closer.

We are back to a two kiss day for the moment with the occassional extra one thrown as we pass by each other on our seperate tasks. But I am planning another big kiss day - not that girls are too happy about it - they kept muttering something about it being gross seeing their parents have a couple of pecks on the lips whilst sitting at the traffic lights!! Mind you they couldnt get away as they were safely held captive in the back seat all buckled up for the long drive!

So if 126 kisses may be a bit much for you to acheive today just make sure you give a couple of hugs and a kiss or two to those around you that you love. It brightens up your and their day!

With a hug and a kiss XO

My daughter loves to watch a variety of programs on cable TV from Next Top Model, to Forensic Stories and the Plastic Surgery channel. It is all very interesting and at times gruisome. Especially on the plastic surgery shows where they show different proceedures such as face lifts etc where they actually show the face skin being peeled back off and over the skull so the surgeon can perform his work.

The other day on an emergency room type hospital show they showed some poor bloke being brought into hospital with a nine inch hunting knife jammed to the hilt through his head! It was shocking to watch as they showed in full and frank detail the knife handle protruding from his head. They had close ups of him lying on a bed in the operating theatre and we could quite clearly see the wound, the blood, the knife..... not pretty but real. I am glad to say they saved him with not too much damage I think.

So here is what I dont understand... There are a variety of shows that show graphic images that you would not normally see unless you were a doctor or surgeon or police officer or medical worker.These program are educational at times and are about providing, showing and informing the public about life, the body, our health etc BUT why when you watch a plastic surgery program about breast reduction or enlargement do they always blur out the nipple? Why in a crime program where they show people lying on a hospital trolley will they show the knife would or gun shot wound but if it is a woman lying there and she is topless why do they blur out the nipple? In this last example you may say they do it out of privacy concern for the victim - which may be true although they dont seem so concerned about showing the injuries etc

I dont get it. You can watch a story about a breast reduction and they show before and after shots but you cant actually tell the difference or see the difference because of the big blurs they put over the nipple to protect us.

What concerns me the most is the obvious fact that it is quite okay to see some pretty horrible injuries resulting from violence of one sort or another or some pretty amazing life saving surgery techniques etc but there seems to be something wrong, dirty or too confronting about seeing one particular part of the female human body - the nipple.

Last word is that this is mostly for American TV shows - blood and guts is fine but no nipples!!

Things have been very exciting here over the last couple of weeks! My food show - "The Food Trail" has been recieved very well with great reviews and great audience numbers watching. We have aired three shows so far and won the rating twice. The first show won it's time slot then the second show came in second to the football! Living in a football obsessed town like Melbourne there is no way you are going to outrate the football! Then for the third show we won our time slot again even though channel Nine moved their well rating show "Funniest Home Video's" to go against us!

So all is good with "The Food Trail" It is disappointing though that no one from Channel Seven has spoken to me about the show and how it is doing nor have they given any indication of if they may support the further shooting of more episodes. It is a winner for them - albeit on a smaller level than Dancing With The Stars but still it is a winner and they seem to be ignoring that fact!

The Food Trail is only showing in Victoria at this point in time which also is disappointing. It has proven it has the viewers so I am hoping that Channel 7 will put the show nationally and at a good time slot! I believe that it could attract around the 1.2 - 1.3 million viewers nationally which is a great number and again would be a great figure for the network!

We shot the third show of Dancing With the Stars last night and boy this season has so far rated better than the last three! Last week we had at one point during the show 2.6 million people watching!! That equates to something like 13% of the population of Australia! This is our fourth season and one of the question going in to this season was will it continue to grow or will it fall off. Well so far it has continued to grow!!!Amazing and great for dance. It is shaping up to be another great series. Hope those who can are watching!!!! And of course watching the Food Trail too!